Do we need a second opinion?

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post #1 of 8

2/24/12 at 5:21pm

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6 Posts. Joined 12/2011
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My 5-year old step son started Kindergarten this year. Since he's started, he's been nothing but sick and his behaviors been nothing short of a roller coaster. He recently had a check-up while fighting a cold and came out just fine. Not only that but the doctor had insisted that we never give him cold medicine because it doesn't help or do anything anyways.

My questions are...

1. Is cold medication really useless?

2. Is it normal for a Kindergartner to be sick often?

3. What do I do!?

It is usual for a kindergartener to be sick quite often, especially if this is their first time being regularly in a large group of children (and even if not, tbh). It's also normal for behaviour to be all over the place as kids adjust to being in school, and especially as they're fighting off illness.

I wouldn't give over-the-counter cold/cough medication as it is not usually recommended for kids under 6. There is no medicine that fights the cold virus - only medications to ease symptoms. If one of my kids is really, can't-sleep, miserable I might give a dose of tylenol. Otherwise I treat with rest, fluids, "steamy machines" (what we call vaporizers, lol), elderberry, and vitamin D.

I am pretty sure what you describe is normal, but if your gut is telling you to investigate further then by all means seek a second opinion.

post #3 of 8

2/24/12 at 5:37pm

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I've just never heard of cold meds doing nothing. . . that threw me off. I know certain types of cold meds are known to make kids crazy but we were also advised by a nurse from the same clinic to purchase dye-free medication. I've yet to find any evidence supporting either end so I was hoping someone else may of come across the same issue.

post #4 of 8

2/24/12 at 8:28pm

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1. Is cold medication really useless? Everything I've read is that OTC cold meds for kids have no effect or prolong the illness. My ped says no meds beyond tylenol/ibuprofen - if child is really restless. My oldest is almost 6. I do purchase dye free when we do use stuff for comfort.

2. Is it normal for a Kindergartner to be sick often? Agree with PP.

3. What do I do!? For colds, lots of liquid, spoon full of honey for cough or honey in tea, humidifier, hot baths, rest, saline in nose, sinus rinse (we just started doing this and it is amazing). We have also done alot of work on preventive stuff - hand washing, catch your cough, etc.

post #5 of 8

2/24/12 at 9:04pm

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1. I have never given cold medicine to my DD. Adult medicine often has the opposite effect on children than the one it has on adults and that wouldn't help DD get rest. Besides that there have been a few recalls since my DD was born and ibuprofen is very effective at making her comfortable while still promoting rest.

2. Illness is normal for kids. I follow the school guidelines for keeping my DD home because she would rather stay and watch movies than go and do school work.

3. I read to DD, watch movies with her, make her good food (she won't eat when she is sick unless it is a really tantalizing food and this has caused some serious crashes from minor illnesses), and I make sure she gets ibuprofen if she needs it. If it goes on for several days I bring her to the pediatrician to rule out anything serious.

post #6 of 8

2/24/12 at 9:36pm

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1. My kids have never used cold medicine. I don't use cold medicine either. They sort of address the symptoms, but not really. We do give tylenol/ibuprofin for pain, but not for fever unless the fever is over 103. (If nothing else the fever keeps my kids in bed where they need to be; with fever reducer, they're up and running around and not resting).

2. Yes, it's very common for younger children to be sick a lot, especially if their first year in a group setting, or even a new school. My kids weren't sick all that often in K, but they'd been in daycare since age 2. They only went MWF, but it was enough to bring home a lot of colds and other viruses. The MWF schedule was nice, actually, because we'd often only have to keep them home one day from daycare, since the days on either side they were off anyway.

3. Chicken noodle soup, hot lemonade (or cold), juice, extra rest and cuddles, and no dairy. The dairy makes my kids stuffier and that's not good. We have a cool mist humidifier in their rooms when they're sick.

It gets a lot better when they're older. Dd is in second grade and has missed one day of school this year for illness. Ds is in 5th and hasn't missed any!

post #7 of 8

2/25/12 at 4:36am